


Blue Eyed Baker Boy

by Peggo



Series: Baker/Band AU [1]
Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: ? - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Get Together, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Sort of Coffee Shop AU, idk - Freeform, joe is a baker, jos is in a band as the lead singer, more like bakery, they are not cricketers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peggo/pseuds/Peggo
Summary: Jos is incredibly famous and in a band. Joe owns a bakery. When running away from some paps Jos finds refuge in Joe's café.Joe doesn't recognise Jos.They fall in love. Misunderstandings ensue.
Relationships: Alastair Cook & Joe Root, Chris Woakes & Joe Root, Jimmy Anderson/Alastair Cook, Joe Root & Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow/Chris Woakes, Jos Buttler/Joe Root, implied Rory/Ollie, implied Sam/Dom, mentioned Ben Stokes/Mark Wood
Series: Baker/Band AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885438
Comments: 22
Kudos: 18





	Blue Eyed Baker Boy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how people feel about AUs, so if this isn't your jam that's cool !!  
> I hope people enjoy !!  
> Xx

Jos regrets not bringing his hat and sunglasses. There are some photographers that have been following him for a while, and at least half a dozen teenagers have come up for a selfie.

When it had started to rain in earnest he had called Jonny out of desperation, who had given him directions to a small bakery café, and told him to ask for Chris at the counter, who’d sort him out. He takes the final left, shirt soaked through and water starting to drip from his hair into his eyes and sees a small bakery with about two customers, both sat at the counter, chatting with the barista.

He opens the door, trying to keep his head down, hurrying to the till and looking around the room. The tattooed barista looks up from where he’s chatting to the two lads sat at the counter, and smiles at him,

“Hello, what can I get you today?” 

Jos ignores the way the lads at the counter start whispering among themselves and says, 

“Are you Chris? I need a Chris, Jonny said there was a Chris?” The barista (whose name tag marks him as ‘Ben’) quirks an eyebrow up at Jos, before calling into the backroom, summoning a young man that Jos recognises from Jonny’s phone background. He clearly recognises Jos, because he smiles at him, 

“Ah, yes I’ve been expecting you, just come through the back, don’t worry. Jonny usually comes to pick me up at the end of my shift anyway, so he said he’d give you a lift too, if you’d just come with me?” He opens up the divide at the counter that separated customers from staff, ushering Jos through to the back. 

To Jos’ surprise there’s another person in the back, bobbing along to the radio as he wipes down the surfaces, and he turns and smiles at Jos and Chris as they enter. Jos can hear Ben out front patiently explaining to some girls that came in just as he slipped into the back, that _no one’s been in their bakery since Sam and Dom here, now what can I get you, it would be rude to just come into a café and not buy anything wouldn’t it, they can’t be surprised at the pastries what did they expect when they came into the bakery?_

Jos smiles back at the other man, who is still turned to face them, nose scrunched up in confusion and head tilted to the side, and waits for the penny to drop, the double take that always seems to happen where people glossed over him at first and then recognised him. It doesn't come, and instead the blue eyed boy almost _grimaces_ sympathetically at Jos, 

“I thought Jonny was here for you Chris, I didn’t expect to find someone seeking sanctuary. At least Ben’s out front, he’ll set them straight, don’t worry, no one will find you back here, make yourself at home.” He turns, looking for something and with a victorious ‘aha’ he pulls out a small tray of millionaire shortbreads. “Here, help yourself, they’re the leftovers and Ben thinks they’re too ugly to put out front.” He thrusts the plate into Jos’ arms and goes back to cleaning up. Jos wants to follow him, learn more about this boy, he doesn’t even know his name, all he knows is that he is _beautiful_ and he wants to protect him. From what, he doesn’t know, he just wants to take him home and wrap him up and protect him.

He sits in the corner, toying with the millionaire shortbread, not particularly wanting to eat it, since he didn’t have the biggest sweet tooth, but not wanting to upset the smiley blonde. He nibbles at it, and sits down in a vacant chair in the corner, just watching as he moves around, efficient and meticulous in his cleaning. 

He stays there, simply observing the blue eyed baker boy, until Chris’ phone starts ringing, disturbing the comfortable silence that had settled over the kitchen. It’s Jonny, who apparently is waiting for them in the Sainsbury’s car park down the way. Chris pockets his phone, grabbing his coat before he turns to Jos. 

“Jonny’s here, we’ll give you a lift if you like. Joey, don’t stay too late, I know you wanted to try perfecting those macarons but you also need sleep. Jos, shall we?” Jos nods, getting up and putting his plate in the sink and wrapping the half eaten millionaire shortbread up in a napkin. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever Chris. Say hi to Jonny for me, give him my love.” He turns to Jos, “Lovely to meet you, maybe next time you’re in the area we can find something more to your liking. Maybe less sweet.” 

* * *

Chris and Jos slip into Jonny’s car, Jonny pecking a quick kiss to Chris’ lips as he sits in the front passenger seat. 

“Good day at work?” he asks, and Chris’ eyes twinkle, as he launches into a story about how Rory came into work today and got _two_ donuts to _take away_ so he’s got his eye on someone and they must remember to ask him about it when he comes round to their’s next Friday, and that Dom and Sam came in after a film they’d watched and sat behind a tremendously awkward couple on a first date. Jos has largely zoned out of Chris’ tales from the bakery until he hears, 

“And then I think Joe finally fancies someone!” and his heart sinks. Of course, today of all days, is the day that the beautiful baker has found someone to fall in love with. Jonny flicks his eyes up to the rear-view mirror to catch Jos’ face fall slightly, as he asks,

“Oh yeah? And who could have caught Joey’s eye then?” 

“Funny you should mention that. So this guy came in, right at the end of the day, with his shirt soaked because of the rain so you could see all his abs in all their glory-” Jonny shoots him a look sideways before returning his eyes to the road, and Chris clears his throat, grinning, “- _anyway_ , he comes in seeking sanctuary, and so he goes through to the back and he _doesn’t like his millionaire shortbread_ -” 

“Everyone likes Joe’s millionaire shortbread, that's his people winner.”

“Well this person didn’t. And _now_ he’s sat in the back of our car.” Jos, for the second time this journey, feels his stomach lurch, although this time with hope. 

“Does Joe know who Jos is?” Jos feels a little indignant that they’re talking about him like he’s not sat in the back of their car, but can’t bring himself to interject out of curiosity. 

“Of course not. He still thinks all you do is accompany open mic nights, and like, weddings.” 

“I have a Grammy on my mantelpiece.”

“He thinks you really like music. You’re realising your dreams. Willing it into existence.”

“It has my _name_ on it.” 

“You are willing it into existence _very hard_.”

“He’s an idiot.” 

Chris hums noncommittally, and turns the radio up before making a face and changing the station when he realises it’s one of their songs. 

They pull up into Jos’ drive and Jos thanks them both profusely, before getting out, kicking his shoes off and flicking the kettle on. Lying on his bed he sighs, and Bingo, his cat comes and sits by his pillow, letting out a small meow and taking a swipe at his face. 

“I know, Bingers. I’m so fucked.”

* * *

As soon as Jos walks out the room Joe groans and sits on the floor, head in his hands, and stays there until Ben has closed front of shop up. 

“Alright, trouble, let’s get you home.”

“He’s beautiful. He didn’t like my millionaire shortbread and I _still love him_ , Ben. I want to add cheesy scones to the menu, and maybe some mini sausage rolls.” 

“You hate baking savoury stuff, you can’t eat the mix.”

Joe heaves himself up, shooting a look at Ben that _clearly_ says _I’m in love, let me be, I’d bake him a mushroom profiterole if he asked me and if that’s what he’d want even if it does go against everything I stand for,_ and he goes to box up the leftovers so they can bring them home.

* * *

Jos doesn’t get a chance to visit the bakery until a couple days later because their schedule picks up and the band (himself on lead vocals, Jonny on the drums, Eoin as their bass guitarist and Stuart as guitarist and ‘the other vocalist’ (Eoin’s words, not anyone else’s)), find themselves doing interviews left, right and centre. By the time he does make it back to the bakery he’s worried that Joe won’t remember who he is anymore, or has found the perfect man and eloped or something. 

He makes his way to the bakery anyway, feeling more nervous than when he played his first Wembley show, and opens the door. Joe is behind the counter this time, not Ben, chatting with an auburn haired boy who’s leaning on the counter, collecting two coffees. 

“Anyway, I’ve got to get back, Rory’s waiting. Oh and we really loved those mini crumble slices from the other day, Joe, you’ve got to text us next time you make them so we can come get some. See you Tuesday!” 

Joe says his goodbyes to ‘Ollie’, asking him to pass on his love to Rory before turning to his next customer (Jos) and doing a double take. 

“Oh. Erm. Hi. How can I get for you. _What. What_ can I get for you? Welcome. Hi.” He blushes, and Jos feels like he’s fifteen again, trying to talk to his crush after maths, or something.

“Erm, a black coffee and,” Jos looks at the display looking for something a bit more savoury, noticing how neat the chalk signs are for each pastry, and wondering whether that’s Joe’s writing, or Ben or Chris’. Joe interrupts his musing, 

“I have some cheese scones in the oven, if you have time to wait five minutes?” 

Jos thinks about his schedule; they’ve just finished up on some hectic press after a few guest appearances on some shows, and they’re now writing another album. He decides he _does_ time to wait five minutes, and sits down at the counter as Joe makes him his coffee (and tips far too generously.) 

Luckily no one else comes into the café and Jos learns that Joe lives with Ben, though Ben’s spending more and more time at his boyfriend’s, and they’ve been friends since ‘forever’. They set up their bakery after sixth form, initially selling just breads and pastries, and it turned into a bakery/café hybrid when their friends kept coming round and leaning on the till, complaining about the lack of hot drinks. They’d put chairs at the counter after that, and got a hot drinks machine, and then when customers who _weren’t_ their friends had started staying to eat they’d expanded slightly to accommodate some more chairs and a sofa that led to the set up they had now. There was even a bookshelf on the wall full of various second hand books, and some potted plants, which Joe told Jos his friend Ali had insisted on, saying that he wanted something to do while Joe baked when he visited. When the timer goes off Joe scurries into the back leaving Jos alone outfront, swilling his coffee around a slightly chipped mug that’s shaped like a cactus. 

Joe returns with a tray full of warm and steaming cheesy scones and they smell divine. Joe offers Jos a nervous smile as he plates one and sets it in front of Jos, 

“Something less heavy than a millionaire shortbread, thought it might be more up your street.” 

It is. It’s the nicest thing Jos has ever tasted, and he makes sure to tell Joe as much, who pleasingly flushes red and stammers out how it really was nothing major, they could do with more savoury elements on their menu, and Ben is always trying to get him to experiment more anyway. They learn they share a love of sports, entering into debates on their football teams and who would make their dream set up.

Joe takes Jos’ mug from the counter, putting it in the sink, and Jos takes the opportunity to checks his phone and swears when he sees three missed calls from Eoin, half a dozen texts from Stuart and one single text from Jonny that says, ‘oi fuckwad’. Joe turns at Jos’ curse and raises an eyebrow, 

“Work thing. I’m really sorry I’ve got to dash. Could I just maybe have one more of those scones for the road? Oh and three… sweet somethings?” 

Joe grins, and goes to bag a scone, adding three rocky-roads to a separate bag and handing them over. 

“On the house, what sort of a boss calls his employee into work at half six anyway.” When Jos goes to protest, he’s silenced, “You tipped me twenty five pounds, Jos. You could buy twenty more rocky-roads minimum with that. It’s not a charity case, I’m doing it for a friend who has to go into work at _half six at night_.” 

Jos doesn’t have the time to argue (or to point out that it’s not really that unreasonable to go somewhere at half six when you’re a _pop star_ ), taking the food and dashing out, on his way to the studio. 

* * *

“You’re late.” Eoin crows, “Jos is late. You’re _never_ late. You _never_ forget.” 

Jos apologises as he slips into his seat, pulling out Joe’s take away bag and offering everyone their rocky-road.

“I’m really sorry lads, I lost track of time. I brought these to make it up to you.” 

He sets his cheese scone bag on the table, pulling it out to start eating it when Jonny swipes the bag. 

“You were seeing Joe again!” He shouts, holding the bag just out of reach of Jos as he tries to get it back, “You were seeing Joe again!” 

Stuart and Eoin look at each other, trying to work out who Joe is, when Chris Silverwood, their manager walks in and calls their meeting to order. 

Chris wants to check in with their new album, how the writing’s going, and tells them that he wants to start their recording by the end of the month. 

“We could do with some more soppy songs this time lads. People liked us last time, but we need a new angle as well. We can’t become a broken record. I don’t care how you reach that sound, but think about it would you?” He leaves, Eoin grumbling at how he always calls them in for a message that he could just _text_ them, and with Jonny pointing out that if he _did_ just text them Eoin definitely wouldn’t read it. 

Just when Jos thinks he’s got away with it, and everyone’s forgotten about Joe, Stuart pipes up, 

“So who is Joe and what has he got to do with rocky-road, because that was one _good_ rocky-road.” Jos sinks his head into his hands, as Jonny launches into a dramatic retelling of Jos and Joe’s ‘love at first sight’ and their pining, full of blustery authority for someone who had yet to see them interact. 

They spend another half hour chatting about their weekend plans and the album, messing about before they decide to call it a day, and Jos gets back to his apartment with a smile still playing on his face as he Bingo winds around his legs. He makes his way to his armchair that sits by the window, picking up his guitar and notebook and starts to play and write. Bingo knows the routine well, by this point, and he comes to sit by Jos’ slippers, curling up and ready to settle down for the long haul, because Jos will be there all night. 

* * *

Chris settles down into Jonny’s side at the end of the day, putting his book onto the bedside table and turning off the main light. 

“So Jos was back at the café today. Joe had a five minute freak out when he came to take the scones out the oven because he’d offered one to Jos, who was sat in the front, and he hadn’t tested them yet. They chatted for _ages_ and I was stuck in the back, I didn’t want to disturb them. And the worst part? Joe still doesn’t know that Jos is like, ‘Jos Buttler, lead singer of the band that won a record amount of Grammy’s for their first album and have headlined Wembley and the O2.’ Oh no, his guess today was that Jos must be a _lawyer_ because he was called into work at half six today. Jos. A lawyer.” Jonny snorts at the image of Jos standing up in front of a court, representing some sort of a mass murderer. OK, Jonny would be the first to admit that maybe he doesn’t know much about being a lawyer, but the point was _neither did Jos_.

“Well, if we’re talking about being in love, Jos still thinks Joe is straight and doesn’t like him back.”

“Joe genuinely said that he would watch a thousand more Marvel films if Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson were in them all. Those are not the words of a hetero.” 

Jonny hummed his agreement, as he leaned over to turn their bedside lamp off. 

They lie there in the darkness for about half a minute, before Chris speaks again. 

“I’m going to start playing your music in the kitchen. He’s got to realise at some point, this is ridiculous. _The_ Jos Buttler, People’s Sexiest Man of the Year and a _world famous singer_ , comes to our bakery and flirts with Joe, who _flirts back_ , and _nobody_ _cares_.”

* * *

Chris is true to his word, and the next day he starts his plan by _exclusively_ playing their music in the kitchen as Joe bakes, in the hopes that Joe will google the band, or unlock his phone to skip the song and see Jos ( _and Jonny_ ) staring back up at him. Instead, Joe continues his baking as usual, as though he hasn’t even noticed that the same seventeen songs have been playing on loop for the past week and a half. 

After that failure, Chris takes it upon himself to stock one of the tables with some tabloids, all of which have Jos, Jonny, Stuart and Eoin smiling happily up from the front cover. This strategy is foiled three times over. 

The first was a disgruntled Ben, who threw them straight into the bin, complaining that some customers had left ‘their rags on our tables, did no one teach them not to litter, no one wants a _Hello_ magazine on their property.’ 

Chris very much _did_ want a _Hello_ magazine on their property, so much so that he went out and bought another copy placing it on the counter where Joe couldn’t _possibly_ miss it. However, this copy didn’t last much longer, with Jos practically throwing himself over it as he used his elbow to slide it onto the floor. He took it away with him, slipping it into his bag when Joe isn’t looking, and Chris made Jonny retrieve it for him so he didn’t have to buy yet another _Hello_ magazine. 

The third (or the second time for the second magazine) actually made it to Joe. Unfortunately, Joe was on clean up at the end of a long day and very tired, so threw it into their recycling without giving it a second glance as he stacked the chairs on the tables, grumbling about how who reads this sort of crap anyway. 

Chris even starts integrating their songs into the playlist for the main café area, which nearly gives Jos a heart attack as he sits at the counter ~~flirting~~ _chatting_ with Joe. When their most famous single filters through the sound system Chris thinks his suffering might be worth it from the way Jos’ eyes widen comically and he stiffens, watching Joe’s back for a reaction where he’s making a coffee. Chris isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry as Joe adds the finishing touches to the latte and announces, 

“My god this song is _glum_.”

“Do you not like it, Joey?” asks Chris, as Jos opens and shuts his mouth, gobsmacked. 

“I mean the singer’s got a really nice voice and all, and the tune itself is a bit of a bop, but these _lyrics_? This isn’t café music, Chris, this is ‘I’ve just broken up with my boyfriend and am sitting on my bed eating ice-cream and crying’ music.” 

Joe’s not wrong. Jos remembers writing this about his first break up, when he’d been sat down and told ‘it’s not you it’s me’ and had thought that the least they could have done is come up with something more original than ‘it’s not you it’s me’, so he’d written a song about how he couldn’t even do break ups right and it had been a massive hit, launching them into the spotlight. He doesn’t vocalise any of this, instead he asks Joe,

“You think the singer has a nice voice?” 

Joe turns around in surprise, 

“Yeah. Soft, easy to listen to, you believe him. Not like half the crap that’s produced these days where they’re just singing about anything for money. He _means_ what he’s saying. This guy’s been through this break up, he’s cried over this, I trust him.” 

He doesn’t notice the way that Jos blushes and busies himself with his coffee, or the fact Chris rolls his eyes and stomps his way back to the kitchen, texting Jonny about leading horses to the waterhole but not being able to force them to drink.

* * *

Joe gets news that Ali is coming to visit after about a fortnight of his new routine of seeing Jos about every other day, and Ali comes in on a Tuesday (a non-Jos day as Joe definitely does _not_ call them.) 

And because it’s Ali and Joe, Ali _knows._ He greets Chris at the till who smiles and asks about how he’s been, and how’s Jimmy before he lets himself into the kitchen where Joe is piping the finishing touches onto a black forest gateau that’s ready to go out front. 

He clears his throat in the doorway and Joe turns around, icing sugar smudged across his face, and beams at him, rushing across the room while removing his apron to hug his friend without covering him in flour. 

Immediately Joe is off, leading Ali through to the main café area, and getting him his flat white and bringing over a tray of assorted pastries, and a slice of almond and honey cake, which he knows Ali loves (and which was the middle tier of his wedding cake which Joe had got to bake.) 

Joe places his black forest gateau in the display, cutting it into slices to help Chris serve it more easily, before he goes to join Ali by the bookshelf, where he’s already found himself a trash book to flick through. Slumping down into the chair opposite Ali they start catching up; what’s been going on on the farm, has Jimmy learned how to smile yet, how’s work been, all the usual. Until Ali leans across, elbows on the table with a gleam in the eye and asks, 

“So. Who are you in love with, Joey.” 

Joe splutters, thankful that Ali at least waited for him to swallow his bite of flapjack so he’s not spitting oats everywhere, before looking at Ali wide-eyed in shock, a wonderful shade of crimson creeping up his neck and colouring his ears. He looks down at the table, running his fingers over a mark on the table and avoiding Ali’s gaze, before managing a,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ali.” He doesn’t need to look up at his best friend to know he’s leaning back in his chair, arms crossed with one eyebrow raised, smirking. 

“OK, Joe. Consider me convinced. Now, do you want to tell me what the savoury snacks are about? Or maybe the new music choice?” 

“Or how about I tell you about how much I’ve _missed you_ and that Ben and Mark are getting serious, or the fact that I’ve worked out how to finally make the gluten free chocolate cake taste the same without being all crumbly and dry…” 

Joe has to take over the till for the last hour before closing, leaving Ali to read in the corner (and Ben joins him for the last half an hour), serving the post-work rush that they always get in the hour five to six. Once it’s over and they’ve started closing, Ali gets up to leave, smiling warmly at them both, and heads to the door. He stops at the door, 

“Joe, I’ll come back tomorrow, if that’s OK. I have some reports to sort out, can I just work in the corner? Or are there policy rules on working in your café?” 

“Anything for you, Cookie, there’s a plug by that chair if you need to bring your charger.” 

* * *

Ali returns the next morning and settles down into the chair next to the plug. Chris brings him his coffee and cake and he starts sorting through excel spread sheets and compiling a report to send off by the end of the day. He sorts through it all methodically, and by three he has a neat looking report. He goes to finish off the formatting, hearing something clatter in the kitchen followed by some choice swears from Joe when _Jos Buttler_ walks into the café. He waits at the till, with a level of patience that Ali wouldn’t expect from a _global superstar._ Ali watches as Jos just stands there. Ali’s about to text Joe saying _there’s a Grammy winner waiting to be served this is why you’ve not taken over the bakery world yet_ , when Joe hurries out front, smiling at Jos and _telling him that he has some new mini-quiches if he’d like to try them today._

Ali doesn’t deserve this. No way has Joe fallen in love with _Jos Buttler_ without realising. This is all a bad dream and he’s not sat in the corner of Joe’s bakery watching Joe flustered and in love with a celebrity, he’ll wake up and Joe will still be perpetually single and firmly not in love. He closes his eyes, counts to ten and opens them again. 

Jos is still at the counter, now _sat down_ , and Christ almighty he’s in love with Joe too. 

He closes his laptop, instead grabbing his phone, to update Jimmy. 

_Joe’s in love._

_Joe? How does it feel for the bird to fly the nest, all in love, who’s the lucky guy/gal Xx_

_Jos Buttler_

_Ha bloody ha. I’m texting you at work, be serious._

_I am. He’s at the till rn. Joe doesn’t know who he is._

_Joe doesn’t know._

_Joe doesn’t know._

He knows Jimmy will have to go back to work soon so they wrap up their conversation with promises of roast dinners and being reunited soon, when they can finally come up with a plan on how to get Joe and Jos together. 

* * *

Jos stops coming in a week after Ali has come to visit and Joe _does not care at all._ Ben is getting increasingly worried for Joe as he turns up to work looking like he’s hardly slept and he’s stopped experimenting with flavours and bakes. Chris has asked Jonny about it, but apparently no one’s heard much from Jos either on his end. Chris stops playing their music in the café and one by one savoury items start disappearing from the menu. 

* * *

It’s a fortnight later that Joe learns who Jos is. And it’s in the worst possible way. He’s at home, with Ben, and they’re channel skimming. As they flick over past the music channel they catch a woman saying, 

“...has been seen with Craig Kieswetter,” in front of a picture of Jos and another dark haired man, before hitting the next channel. All the colour has drained from Joe’s face, and he’s sat rigid on the sofa, as Ben goes back to the channel as the woman carries on with what she was saying. 

“Jos and his band are expected to release a new album sometime soon, within the next two weeks, according to the record label, and can we expect a few love songs? Kieswetter and Jos have been friends since they were _children_ , and they’ve been spotted together recently in their hometown, where Jos has been visiting family. There have always been rumours that Jos and Craig’s friendship has had a little more, and Jos himself has never hidden his sexuality. None of Jos’ bandmates or family have responded to our questions, so nothing is confirmed, but I’m sure their new album will clear things up.”

Ben turns the TV off a little more firmly than perhaps he needed to, scooting up to Joe and bundling him up in his arms. He shoots off a text to Ali and Jimmy, and Chris for good measure, before putting his phone at the end of their sofa, and holds Joe as he stares blankly ahead. Chris lets himself in half an hour later, furious and armed with take away pizza, and they stay there, sat on Ben and Joe’s living room floor eating Domino’s in heavy silence. 

“I really thought I knew him. And that I had a chance.” 

Ben is going to murder Jos. Sorry to all his fans, they’ve still got a band, he just needs to dispose of their fucking lead singer who apparently is a dickwad. 

“I think you did. I think you know him better than anyone, Joe. We don’t even know if this is true- Jonny thinks it’s utter crap, that they don’t know what they’re talking about. Jonny says that they’re family friends and nothing more, and that actually Kieswetter’s a bit of a dick.”

Ben feels the cogs working in Joe’s brain as he turns to face Chris. 

“That’s a legit Grammy on your mantelpiece, isn’t it.” Chris nods. “Jonny’s more than just a pub drummer, he’s won a _Grammy._ Did everyone know that Jos was famous, except me?” 

Their silence is answer enough and Joe sighs, taking another slice of pizza instead.

“It’s funny, because we weren’t even going out. Not even exclusive. And yet I still just feel so fucking _sad._ ”

* * *

Joe manages another week in the café sorting out preparations, before he decides to go visit Jimmy and Ali, spend some time away from baking and making coffees. Chris reckons Jos just might have the worst luck in the world. 

Jos comes into the café right at the end of the day; Chris is cleaning in the back and Ben has already turned the machine off and put the leftovers away, now wiping surfaces down out front. Jos, to his credit, looks shit, but that doesn’t stop Ben from squaring up to Jos, arms crossed, showing off his tattooed biceps, and making it _very clear_ that Jos is not welcome. 

“I came to see Joe? I know this isn’t ideal-” Ben snorts and even Chris has to raise an eyebrow at that _understatement of the year_ from where he’s eavesdropping in the back, “but I just need to explain everything. Craig and I aren’t anything, we grew up together. Frankly he’s a dick, I just need to _explain,_ I need-”

“You need to leave.” interrupts Ben, coldly and unmoved. “You’ve fucked up. It’s not the Craig thing, though that _hurt_ Joe, switching on the TV and seeing you and your new _beau_ . It’s the fact that you disappeared without telling him. You just stopped coming in. Everything about this is on _your_ terms. He can’t find you if he wanted to; you have all the power. _You_ set the days that you see each other, you meet each other _here_ and he wouldn’t be _able_ to find you if he wanted. When you disappeared, you were the one who could have contacted Joe, he doesn’t have your number or anything like that. You know where we are. You can contact us. He can’t. 

And you disappeared, anything that you had building up has been _ruined_. Imagine thinking the bloke you fancy fancies you back and you might have a chance and then he disappears for two weeks and the next you hear from him, he’s on the TV with a new boy hanging on his arm. Fuck you, Buttler.”

And Jos has nothing to say to that. Because Ben’s right. Joe doesn’t have social media, he never had Jos’ number, they just took it for granted that Jos would come in at some point during the afternoon, and he had never given Joe a time, he’d just strolled in, and so if he stopped doing that Joe really was stranded. He nodded, not trusting himself to be able to speak after what Ben had said and his own realisations, instead turning on his heel to go home. 

* * *

He makes it home, and sinks into his armchair, Bingo jumping into his lap and he makes the decision. He gets his phone out, opening WhatsApp and texting his band mates and management.

_Release the first single tomorrow? Album on Friday? Bring it all forward a week? Xx_

* * *

Joe returns to work after a long weekend at Ali and Jimmy’s, and they’ve invited themselves up to Ben and Joe’s apartment anyway, so he’s not got rid of them, for which he’s grateful. No one talks about Jos, no one talks about the removal of cheese scones from the menu. At least not to Joe himself. 

Ali and Jimmy are sat in the corner, sharing a lemon meringue tart. They’re both on their phones, scrolling through social medias with their feet intertwined under the table. The coffees that they ordered had latte art hearts on the top, made by Joe, which had caused Jimmy to grumble (although Ali knew Jimmy was very fond of whatever Joe put on the top of their coffees.)

“We need to fix this.” 

Jimmy looks at Ali, disgruntled, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. 

“You know Joe’s not over it. And look. Jos isn’t either.” 

He passes his phone over to Jimmy, who arches an eyebrow when he sees that Ali was on _Hello_ ’s website, and the other eyebrow joins it when he sees the headline. 

**_Blue Eyed Baker Boy_ ** **Makes Number One Overnight**. 

“Joe has blue eyes.” is all Jimmy says as he hands Ali back his phone. 

“And he’s a baker.” 

“He’s also a boy.” 

Ali waits patiently, knowing it’s only a matter of time before-

“Fine. What have you got planned, and what do you want me to do?” Ali smiles, knowing a victory when he sees it, and glancing over at Joe, slumped over the counter sorting out a display, dark circles under his eyes and looking wrung out. He’s doing it for Joe, they deserve another chance. And if this doesn’t work out then at least a proper healing process can begin, and Joe can move on.

* * *

It’s relatively easy to get them tickets to a small outdoor concert not far away from Joe’s bakery once Chris is involved. He’s on board as soon as Ali gathers him and Ben together and fills them in on the plan. Ben takes more convincing, until Jimmy plays him Jos’ new song and Ali points out that Joe deserves closure. Chris knows that they’re testing their new songs in a couple of days at a small local festival, like they always do, and Jonny sorts them out with tickets, much to Ali’s delight. They decide that they have to create a _reason_ , and Ben offers up his anniversary with Mark that’s coming up. 

(“Why would you want to spend that with us?”)

(“Erm. We can work on that.”)

(“Say Mark’s a big fan of the band and...that, erm.”)

(“He _won the tickets._ So he’s bringing everyone with him because that’s how many tickets he won.”) 

(“So my anniversary _isn’t_ ruined, thank fuck”)

They tell Joe that Mark won some tickets from work (he worked in catering so it wasn’t unusual that they got to go to events out of their sphere of interest) and would he like to come. Joe agrees to it as soon as he realises that the whole gang’ll be there, something they haven’t had the time to do for a long time, he’s excited to go. 

* * *

The show’s on a Thursday, so they close the café up early, piling into Jimmy’s car to go to the venue. They sit through the opening act, another local group that Joe recognises from the pub, and he cheers loudly when they’ve finished their set. He stops mid-holler when he notices who’s coming on stage next. Jos and his band are making their way out, waving and acknowledging the crowd, who have come to life at the sight of their local and international popstars. 

“Thank you for coming, this is always our favourite venue to play.” Jos says, and god it feels like a punch to the gut, listening to his soft spoken voice after he disappeared for so long, “We love playing for the people who’ve supported us through thick and thin. And we love testing our new stuff on a live audience for the first time here.”

He takes a quick drink from his water bottle as the blonde guitarist to his left smiles, 

“This album has a bit of a different sound, because Jos fell in love and then fucked it,” and Joe doesn’t miss the way that Jos’ smile gets tighter around the edges and his eyes lose the shine they had when he first came out. The bassist laughs, 

“Yeah, you’ll never guess who this guy was-” 

He’s interrupted by a shout of ‘Craig’ and all the lads on stage laugh. 

“No, not Craig. Don’t tell the press but there are three good reasons they can’t date: firstly, he’s a dick. Secondly, he’s a dick. And thirdly, he doesn’t _like_ the dick.” There’s a smattering of laughter among the audience, though not from Joe, who has gripped Ben’s arm, white knuckled and eyes like saucers. Over the top of Joe’s head Ali winks at Ben, knowing that at least that’s been cleared up. 

Jos is speaking again, tone sombre, too sincere for a quick introduction.

“It doesn’t matter who it was, the thing is I didn’t treat him properly. I took everything for granted, I really, _really_ think I fucked it.” 

“But we got a pretty damn good album from it” that’s the bassist again, and he’s managed to lift the mood from where Jos had brought it down.

The lads adjust their tuning, Jonny comfortable at the back sat at the kit, and with Stuart taking what seems like _forever_ to find the perfect position for his mic stand, they launch into their set. 

Joe can’t take his eyes off Jos. How comfortable he seems up on stage, but also the vulnerability. How soothing his voice is, how natural it seems for him up there. The lights illuminate his face, making his eyes seem brighter, and his hair catches the light, giving the illusion of a halo around Jos’ face. Joe feels like he’s being bewitched, and just like when he had heard that song that time in the bakery, he _believes_ everything that Jos is singing. All of the lyrics are sincere. The first song in their set (an apology that Joe feels is directed to him, but doesn't want to assume) (though what else can lyrics about mistaken identities and cheese scones be about) and is met with good reception. His stomach had sunk when Jos had come out, and had expected to want to leave. But each song felt like a personal apology, a secret being shared with the world that only he truly understood. He can’t tear his gaze away, he couldn’t have left if he’d tried. 

Jos goes to switch his guitar for an acoustic and Stuart is monologuing to kill the time. 

“This is Jos’ favourite song on the record; it’s the first one he wrote and it’s what our album is called. He met a cute boy and Jos didn’t like his millionaire shortbread - _not a euphemism_ \- and the cute boy didn’t know who Jos was. No social media. Just flour in his hair. And he started writing this in their early days. This boy was his _muse_ . And then Jos didn’t speak to this cute boy for like, _a month_ because he had to rush home, and also, the cute boy has a _terrifying_ friend, who sounds like Eoin’s type if I’m being honest, and Jos is scared of him, and suddenly this song becomes fucking _depressing_ but it still sounds upbeat, and Jos can you hurry up with that guitar please, and it was the first one we released from this album, _seriously Jos, take your fucking time_ , so here is Blue Eyed Baker Boy.” Jos has finally untangled the cord for his acoustic, and starts strumming the opening. 

Joe leans over to his side, 

“I have blue eyes.” Ali rolls his eyes as Ben hums an affirmative. “I’m also a baker. And a boy.” 

“Listen to the song, Joey.”

It’s a beautiful song, thinks Joe, and the rest of the crowd seems to think so too. They sway along, many of them already know the words, and Joe just wants to be with Jos. Tell him that their time in the bakery is a safe space for him too, that he would bake Jos all the savoury treats if he asked, and most of all, he thinks he loves Jos, too. 

The rest of the concert passes by, though Joe doesn’t listen to the songs as carefully, still carefully dissecting the lyrics of _his_ song, Ben is holding him close, although Joe definitely thinks he’s more interested in the bassist and gauging Mark’s interest in the bassist. The set finishes, encores are played and the lights go down. And then Chris is leading them backstage, pressing a kiss to Jonny’s, making brief introductions and complimenting Jonny for the show. Stuart, Jimmy and Ali hit it off right away, and Ben and Mark have immediately introduced themselves more personally with the bassist, leaving Joe and Jos alone on the side of various conversations. 

“I’m so sorry-”

“You were incredible.”

They laugh, shy and unsure, and Joe gestures for Jos to say what he wanted to say. 

“I’m so sorry for how I treated you. I took you for granted and that was so wrong of me. Craig and I are nothing, I-” He sighs, running a hand through his hair, “You’re it for me. I’m so sorry for what I did, you were perfect and I fucked it. You made savoury shit for me, you always made time for me and, I just… is there anything I could do to fix this? To get another chance, because I was wrong, and I know now, and I’d tell you, and I’d _communicate_ , and give you my fucking number, instead of just waltzing into _your_ bakery like I own the place and-”

“You could write me an album, oh wait.” 

Jos looks at Joe, hope written all over his face and Joe grins back, 

“That is, unless you’ve met another blue eyed baker boy, and I’ve misunderstood the situation?”

Jos shakes his head rapidly, still staring at Joe as though he can’t quite believe what’s happening. 

“And would you still ‘like to take him on dates and treat him right, forget all your mistakes and put them out of sight’?” Jos nods again, not moving, mouth slightly parted and Joe grins wickedly. "There's a really nice Thai place near our bakery, if you're stuck for ideas."

* * *

Nobody mentions that, when they all go back to Chris and Jonny’s for drinks, Jos and Joe are holding hands, or leaning on each other slightly. Or that Joe has a phone number scrawled on his arm. Or that Joe has added cheese back on to their deliveries. And if Jos presses a kiss to Joe’s forehead as they hug goodbye, well, no one mentions that either. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I honestly have no clue how to gauge this, it's hella long so I hope it stayed coherent, though this is defo longer than anything I ever thought I'd write.  
> All feedback is appreciated, like genuinely, every little helps, and I hope you enjoyed it ??  
> All the love,  
> Peg Xx


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